In an article entitled "Care from a Connoisseur," Nancy Harrison, Senior Vice President and Director of the 19th Century European Paintings Department at Sotheby's New York, gives helpful recommendations on how to preserve art from the harmful effects of time. Among these are a number of points concerning the damaging effects of light and heat -- many of which can be avoided by displaying the works in UV-protected areas.

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According to Nancy Harrison:

Extremes of temperature and humidity are bad for paintings and they should be stored at temperatures within the range of 68-72 degrees Farenheit.

Heat, including heat from windows and photographic lamps, is particularly dangerous to lined canvas and panel paintings. It will soften waxes (thereby attracting dust), cause distortion and bulges, and promote pinpoint flaking. Paintings should not be hung near untreated windows, radiators or heating vents, or otherwise exposed to heat for long periods.

The sensitivity of paintings to ultraviolet and visible radiation varies, but illumination should not be excessive, nor should paintings be hung in direct, unfiltered sunlight.

Works of art on paper, which include prints, drawings in all media, pastels, photographs and works on related materials are among the most vulnerable to excessive light and fluctuations of temperatures and humidity. They should not be exposed to direct sunlight, unfiltered fluorescent lamps, or the heat of incandescent bulbs. The ultraviolet rays from sunlight and fluorescent tubes will cause structural damage and oxidative reactions. Limiting light exposure protects paper and pigments from chemical and physical deterioration.

All light, particularly that in the ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) regions of the spectrum, induces chemical changes which age materials by degrading them. The most pernicious photochemical damage is caused by UV rays. IR radiation will cause chemical changes, and it accelerates the destructive effect of both UV light and visible radiation. Although not as profound in its destructive capacity as IR or UV, visible light can cause fading or darkening of some pigments. Photochemical deterioration, which occurs in organic objects such as works on paper and textiles, is cumulative and cannot be reversed.

Ms. Harrison says that meticulous care must be taken in the storage and care of art work, and owners must realize that the beautiful art works they have are merely passing through their hands for a brief sojourn. While some measures may seem extreme, art owners have an obligation to ensure that art is protected so that it can be enjoyed by generations to come.